Power supply system

Abstract

A power supply system includes a voltage application source, and a switched mode power supply having an output coupled to the voltage application source through a first path and through a second path different from the first path. A first node is coupled to the output of the switched mode power supply, the switched mode power supply being configured to couple the first node to the voltage application source through the first path in a first operating mode and through the second path in a different second operating mode. A digital regulator is coupled to the first node. A digital circuit is coupled to an output of the digital regulator. An analog regulator is coupled to the first node and an analog circuit coupled to an output of the analog regulator.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A power supply system, comprising:
 a first node; 
 a voltage application source; 
 a switched-mode power supply coupled to the voltage application source and the first node, wherein the switched-mode power supply is configured to:
 power, in a first mode, the first node directly from the voltage application source, and 
 power, in a second mode, the first node using a chopped voltage of a voltage supplied from the voltage application source; 
 
 a power storage element coupled to the switched-mode power supply; 
 a digital linear regulator coupled to the first node; 
 a digital circuit coupled to an output of the digital linear regulator, the digital circuit comprising a memory and at least one of a logic circuit or a processor; 
 an analog regulator coupled to the first node; and 
 an analog circuit coupled to an output of the analog regulator; 
 a linear regulator coupled to the output of the digital linear regulator and the voltage application source; and
 a comparator circuit coupled to the voltage application source and the switched-mode power supply, the comparator circuit configured to:
 compare a voltage value of the voltage supplied from the voltage application source to a threshold voltage, and 
 supply a control signal to the switched-mode power supply to power the first node directly from the voltage application source in the first mode based on determining that the voltage value is greater than the threshold voltage, 
 wherein in a third mode, the first node is coupled to the voltage application source, the first node is powered through the power storage element, the digital circuit and the analog circuit are, respectively, powered through the linear regulator and the first node, the at least one of the logic circuit or processor is powered OFF, the digital linear regulator is non-operational, and the linear regulator and the memory are powered ON. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The power supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the switched-mode power supply is powered by the voltage application source. 
     
     
       3. The power supply system of  claim 1 , wherein an inductor is arranged between the first node and an output of the switched-mode power supply. 
     
     
       4. The power supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the first node is configured to be powered by the power storage element. 
     
     
       5. The power supply system of  claim 4 , wherein the power storage element is a capacitor coupled between the first node and a reference potential. 
     
     
       6. The power supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the first node is configured to supply power to the digital circuit and the analog circuit. 
     
     
       7. The power supply system of  claim 1 , wherein the analog circuit includes a radio wave transmit circuit or a radio wave receive circuit. 
     
     
       8. The power supply system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second comparator configured to compare a voltage on the first node with a second threshold to determine whether to operate the power supply system in the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode. 
     
     
       9. A power supply system comprising:
 a voltage application source; 
 a switched mode power supply having an output coupled to the voltage application source through a first path and through a second path different from the first path; 
 a power storage element coupled to the switched mode power supply; 
 a comparator circuit coupled to the voltage application source and the switched mode power supply; 
 a digital linear regulator; 
 a digital circuit coupled to an output of the digital linear regulator, the digital circuit comprising a memory and at least one of a logic circuit or a processor; 
 an analog regulator; and 
 an analog circuit coupled to an output of the analog regulator; 
 a linear regulator coupled to the output of the digital linear regulator and the voltage application source; and 
 a first node coupled to the output of the switched mode power supply, the power storage element, the analog regulator, and the digital linear regulator, the switched mode power supply configured to:
 couple the first node to the voltage application source through the first path in a first operating mode in response to the comparator circuit detecting that a voltage supplied by the voltage application source is less than a threshold; and 
 couple the first node to the voltage application source through the second path in a different second operating mode in response to the comparator circuit detecting that the voltage supplied by the voltage application source is greater than the threshold, 
 wherein in a third operating mode, the first node is coupled to the voltage application source through the first path, the first node is powered through the power storage element, the digital circuit and the analog circuit are, respectively, powered through the linear regulator and the first node, the at least one of the logic circuit or processor is powered OFF, the digital linear regulator is non-operational, and the linear regulator and the memory are powered ON. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The power supply system of  claim 9 , further comprising a comparator coupled between the first node and the digital linear regulator, wherein the comparator is configured to compare a voltage at the first node with a second threshold voltage and based on the comparison start the digital linear regulator to power the digital circuit. 
     
     
       11. The power supply system of  claim 9 , wherein the digital circuit is configured to be powered through the digital linear regulator in the first operating mode or the linear regulator in the third operating mode. 
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 having a power supply system comprising a voltage application source, a switched-mode power supply, a comparator circuit, a digital linear regulator, a linear regulator, a power storage element, a digital circuit, and an analog circuit, wherein the digital circuit comprises a memory, and at least one of a logic circuit or a processor; 
 comparing, by the comparator circuit, a voltage value at a first node of the power supply system to a threshold voltage, the first node coupled to the voltage application source through the switched-mode power supply; 
 operating the power supply system in a first operating mode in response to a voltage at the first node being less than the threshold voltage, wherein the linear regulator, the memory and the at least one of the logic circuit or the processor is powered ON, and wherein the digital linear regulator is non-operational; 
 operating the power supply system in a second operating mode in response to the voltage at the first node being greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, wherein the digital linear regulator, the memory, and the at least one of the logic circuit or the processor is powered ON; and 
 operating the power supply system in a third operating mode, wherein in the third operating mode, the first node is powered through the power storage element, the digital circuit and the analog circuit are, respectively, powered through the linear regulator and the first node, the at least one of the logic circuit or processor is powered OFF, the digital linear regulator is non-operational, and the linear regulator and the memory are powered ON. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second operating mode further comprises:
 powering the first node through the power storage element, and 
 supplying power to the digital circuit and the analog circuit, respectively, through the linear regulator and the first node, and 
 wherein the first operating mode further comprises:
 powering the first node of the power supply system either directly by the voltage application source or through the switched-mode power supply coupled to the voltage application source, and 
 supplying power to the digital circuit and the analog circuit through the first node. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising starting the power supply system, the starting of the power supply system comprising a step during which the first node is powered by the voltage application source, followed by a step during which the first node is powered by an output of the switched-mode power supply. 
     
     
       15. The power supply system of  claim 9 , wherein an inductor is arranged between the first node and an output of the switched mode power supply, and wherein the first node is configured to be powered by the power storage element coupled between the first node and a reference potential. 
     
     
       16. The power supply system of  claim 9 , wherein the analog circuit is a radio wave transmit circuit or a radio wave receive circuit. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the analog circuit includes a radio wave transmit circuit or a radio wave receive circuit. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the power supply system includes a second comparator circuit, wherein the method further comprises comparing, by the second comparator circuit, a second threshold to a voltage supplied by the voltage application source. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising powering the first node directly from the voltage application source in response to determining that the voltage supplied by the voltage application source is less than the second threshold. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising powering the first node using a chopped voltage of the voltage supplied from the voltage application source in response to determining that the voltage supplied by the voltage application source is less than the second threshold.